Thursday, March 31, 2016

Will Ferrell Moves to Warwick, Rhode Island


WARWICK, Rhode Island – In a big surprise to everyone in Los Angeles, Hollywood actor Will Ferrell reveals in a new interview that he is moving to the Warwick, Rhode Island area. He tells the magazine that he is “tired of the L.A. lifestyle” and is looking for a big change in life.

“I’m just tired of the L.A. lifestyle and the fake people, honestly, and I feel like, at this point in my life, I’d rather just live in a place full of real, genuine people. I’ve been to Warwick a few times over the years and the people there are real… they’re genuine, and yeah every community has its problems but the people there are good, decent people and they care about their community. Those are the things I find most important in deciding where to live,” Ferrell told the magazine.

“I’m not retiring, I’m just looking for a change in life and I think I’ve found that in Warwick,” Ferrell reassured fans. Let us know what you think in the comments section below especially if you’re a resident of the Warwick, Rhode Island area.

Don't Talk PSA: Melissa McCarthy

Truck ends road rage by dumping dirt in front of chasing cars

Daily Spider-Man! Today Xandu is my favorite character, for the way he's kicking Dr. Strange's strange ass without even looking


Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Daily Spider-Man! Any time is a good time to pause and explain things


Daily Spider-Man! "His glowy stuff is better than my glowy stuff!"


Daily Spider-Man! Average guy on the street displays above-average knowledge of magicians


Patty Duke dies at 69


From tvline, Patty Duke, who became synonymous with chipper teenhood as the star of The Patty Duke Show, has died. She was 69.

Duke, whose real name was Anna Pearce, is best known for playing the dual roles of Patty and Cathy on her eponymous ABC sitcom, which ran from 1963-66.

ABC News reports that the actress died of sepsis from a ruptured intestine.

“This morning, our beloved mother, wife, matriarch and the exquisite artist, humanitarian, and champion for mental health, Anna Patty Duke Pearce, closed her eyes, quieted her pain and ascended to a beautiful place,” her family said in a statement. “We celebrate the infinite love and compassion she shared through her work and throughout her life.”

Duke was a child actress whose portrayal of Helen Keller won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in the film The Miracle Worker. (She later played Keller’s teacher, Anne Sullivan, in the 1979 TV-movie adaptation.) In addition to her identical cousin comedy series, other notable TV gigs included It Takes Two, Karen’s Song, Amazing Grace and Hail to the Chief — in which she played the first female president of the United States.

In recent years, Duke’s TV appearances included a Season 4 episode of Glee, as a lesbian jeweler who helps Blaine to pick out an engagement ring for Kurt, and a meta guest-starring role on Disney Channel’s twin sisters comedy Liv and Maddie, playing Grandma Janice and her lookalike Great-Aunt Hillary.

Monday, March 28, 2016

James Wan makes another awful horror movie (The Conjuring 2)

Watch All Of The Star Wars: A New Hope Callbacks Contained In The Force Awakens

Batman v Superman: Box office records so far


From ew, Even with lackluster reviews, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justiceproved as indestructible as the Man of Steel himself: Zack Snyder’s epic battle between Batman and Superman just opened to an estimated $170.1 million domestically, setting multiple box office records both stateside and internationally.

If weekend estimates hold, Batman v Superman will beat Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 ($169.2 million) to become the sixth-biggest domestic opening in box office history — and the biggest Warner Bros. opening of all time.

Plus, not only did Batman v Superman shatter The Hunger Games’ $152.5 million record for the best March opening of all time, but it also set the all-time best record for a pre-summer opening. It also surpassed Furious 7’s $147.2 million to earn the biggest Easter weekend opening ever. (Batman v Superman also set an IMAX Easter record, earning $18 million to beat Furious 7’s $13.3 million.)

While Marvel still holds third, fourth, and fifth place on the list of biggest openings, thanks to The Avengers, Age of Ultron, and Iron Man 3, Batman v Supermandid set a DC Comics record, surpassing both The Dark Knight Rises ($160.9 million) and The Dark Knight ($158.4 million).

And Batman v Superman didn’t just break domestic records. Internationally, it pulled in an estimated $254 million for a global total of $424 million. That makes it the fourth-biggest worldwide opening of all time — ahead of any Marvel movie.

So what’s next? Batman v Superman only earned a B CinemaScore and critics’ reviews have been largely negative, but there isn’t much competition hitting theaters in April — so expectBatman v Superman to stay at the top of the charts for a while.

For more on this weekend’s box office, head here to read EW’s full report.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Garry Shandling dies at 66


From cnn, Comedian Garry Shandling, who amused millions of Americans on his faux talk show, The Larry SandersShow, in the 1990s, died Thursday. He was 66.

The news was confirmed by E! and The Associated Press.

TMZ was first with the news, reporting Thursday there was a 911 call from Shandling's Los Angeles home and he was transported to a hospital where he died.

The gossip website said Shandling was healthy and speaking to a friend by phone as late as Thursday morning.

His last tweet (Shandling had nearly 600,000 followers and nearly 7,000 tweets) was March 20 and featured him with Kathy Griffin.



So @GarryShandling & I had to call Saul@mrBobOdenkirkpic.twitter.com/DcLhvfvaJZ— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) March 21, 2016

He was fully engaged until just days before his death, tweeting jokes about Kanye West and Mitt Romney and the Republican presidential contest.



If I was Kanye I wouldn't wait for the GOP convention, I'd go make a deal with Mitt right now.— Garry Shandling (@GarryShandling) March 19, 2016

Shandling was a comedian, an actor, producer, even a director, according to hisInternet Movie Database page, but he's best known as "Larry Sanders," the anxiety-ridden talk-show host whose hilarious foibles made entertaining fun of the talk-show genre from 1992 to 1998. He was the creator, the writer and the star.

(His Larry Sanders co-star was Jeffrey Tambor, the award-winning star of HBO'sTransparent, playing a transgender woman.)

The convention-bending comedy series also opened the door to other such TV fare, breaking decades-old molds and making possible such popular comedies asSeinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Colbert Report and 30 Rock

Daily Spider-Man! It's Doc Strange's turn to fail! But not before some delightful magical gobbledegook. Vipers of Valtorr, dude!


David Letterman's striking retirement look


Wednesday, March 23, 2016

'Batman vs Superman' reviewed


From cinemablend, An improvement over Man of Steel, and a much better Batman movie than it is a Superman film. The highlights far outweigh the issues, and DC now has a base on which it can build its empire.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice serves many purposes, some more effectively than others. First and foremost, it’s a natural continuation to -- and a significant improvement on -- Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, a contemporary origin story for the classic Superman character that introduced Henry Cavill as Kal-El, an alien from the planet Krypton whose presence on Earth causes… let’s just say “problems.” Secondly,Dawn of Justice is a stellar Batman movie, differentiating itself from Christopher Nolan’s recent trilogy by casting Ben Affleck as a grizzled, seasoned but burned out Caped Crusader whose primary mission is to strategize against his new adversary, Superman. And finally, Dawn of Justice -- as that subtitle implies – lays the groundwork for future DC Comics movies by sprinkling in recognizable references to members of the Justice League. Nowadays, that’s called “world building,” and it’s essential to forward-thinking movie franchises, even though most of these nods raise questions that aren’t answered here. (So, buy a ticket to one of the many DC Films on the Warner Bros. calendar between now and 2020!)

So much was written, following the controversial conclusion of Man of Steel, about the destruction caused by Superman as he battled General Zod (Michael Shannon). Superman was a relative novice when it came to combat, and he invited chaos before eventually snapping Zod’s neck (another controversial topic). Rather than run from the end of Man of Steel, Snyder and his Oscar-winning screenwriter, Chris Terrio (Argo), embrace it and make Superman’s consequences integral to the action inBatman v Superman. After a brief recreation of Batman’s tragic origin – you know it by heart, the one with the gun, the pearls, the alley and the funeral – Snyder brilliantly opens Batman v Superman in the wreckage ofMan of Steel, though this time, we witness it from the viewpoint of Bruce Wayne (Affleck). He’s on the ground in a crumbling Metropolis, and because he’s The God Damn Batman, Wayne springs into action to rescue as many innocent citizens as possible. Batman, a human hero, looks up in the sky and doesn’t see a bird or a plane. He sees a destructive alien force who can wipe out our planet with little to no resistance. So he begins to plan.

Bruce Wayne’s not the only person terrified of Superman. Across town, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) has begun pulling various strings behind the scenes to put himself in position to retaliate against Kal-El, if ever the need should arise. Wayne and Luthor simultaneously are racing to acquire a chunk of Kryptonite that was part of the World Engine that landed in the Indian Ocean during Man of Steel. Neither trusts Superman, as his arrival officially has changed the game as far as they knew it.

Sadly, the least interesting character in Batman v Superman is Superman, even though his presence is the catalyst for virtually everything that happens in this story. Terrio’s screenplay spends more time than any other previous Superman film asking relevant questions about how governments of the world would react to the arrival of an all-powerful being like Kal-El. This isn’t the Richard Donner days, where Superman instantly is embraced as a well-intentioned savior, and a symbol of good. This is 2016, and we are a cynical movie-going audience who – like Bruce Wayne – automatically assume that Superman could be a threat, and so must be feared until he can be controlled.

But Superman’s moral quandary isn’t nearly as compelling as Batman’s homicidal paranoia or Lex Luthor’s maniacal manipulations, and the movie’s always more compelling when it spends more time with its newcomers than when it lingers on the Blue Boy Scout. And here, Ben Affleck really plugs in to the suspicion, fear and mistrust that are essential to playing a world-weary Dark Knight, and delivers a spectacular version of the classic comic hero. We know this Batman has suffered numerous hardships. Conversations with his trusted manservant, Alfred (a stoic Jeremy Irons), or glimpses of a defaced Robin costume hint at horrible tragedies from Bruce’s past. But in Superman, Batman sees an enemy he hasn’t figured out how to best. Not yet, anyway. Affleck’s portrayal of Batman is fantastic, and part of the reason why I like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice as much as I do. The veteran actor, with experience both as a leading man and as tabloid fodder, now has the gravitas and the life lessons necessary to play both Batman and Bruce Wayne convincingly. He’s excellent casting for the fledgling DC Cinematic Universe, on rock on which Snyder and company can build.

“But these guys eventually fight, right?” I can hear you asking. This is called Batman v Superman, after all. But here’s the best part. Zack Snyder doesn’t rush to the main event, building to it slowly by explaining – from both sides – why a throw down between these DC icons eventually becomes necessary. You’ll have to see it to fully understand why, but I can tell you that the v in Batman v Superman is earned. There’s a reason for their fight, and there’s a winner. That alone is worth the price of admission.

I haven’t mentioned Wonder Woman yet. That’s because she’s superfluous here. Not that Gal Gadot is bad as Wonder Woman. She’s not. It’s also undoubtedly historic to see the legendary DC hero finally portrayed on the big screen in a massive blockbuster. But Gadot’s scenes, either as Diana Prince or as Wonder Woman, are window dressing for the character’s eventual role in Justice League, as well as her own solo movie. You could remove Wonder Woman from this movie and essentially have the same film. That’s neither good nor bad, just a fact. The same can be said for all of the references to the Justice League heroes. There’s an organic way that they are introduced – and one particular scene (probably my favorite in the whole film) hints at what may be a very cool wrinkle in a future film. But they are placeholders, and may frustrate casual fans who don’t get vague references to characters like Cyborg or the villainous Darkseid.

The distractions of the DC Cinematic Universe are both a blessing and a curse. They’re necessary, as Snyder is setting up more movies with this one film. But they’re also fluff in an already busy story. And that says nothing about the biggest concern with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, though here it’s difficult to address without diving too deep into portions that you don’t want to read. I want to say that if you leaveBatman v Superman about 20 minutes before the end credits roll, you will feel a lot better about what Zack Snyder accomplished than if you stay for his chaotic, noisy and wholly unnecessary finale. At the same time, by then, you’ve likely already invested. In for a penny, in for a pound.

You’ve read this far. Allow me to summarize. Batman v Supermanimproves on Man of Steel by introducing a terrifically effective Batman (the world’s greatest detective actually detects!) and a complicated Lex Luthor, giving us some of the best versions of those characters that we’ve seen on screen for a long while. It’s far from perfect, but it’s largest sins can be overlooked because of the massive feats the blockbuster actually accomplishes, establishing a strong core for future DC movies and immediately making us more confident and far more interested in what Snyder will attempt in his Justice League movies. For now, DC’s cinematic future looks bright.

"Twin Peaks" Revival Might Hit The Cinema


From darkhorizons, As the lines continue to blur between the big and small screens, cinematic screenings of TV events are expected to only increase with time. Speaking with Bloomberg (viaWelcome to Twin Peaks), Showtime CEO David Nevins revealed that one such plan may be in the works with the network's upcoming "Twin Peaks" revival.

David Lynch is helming all the episodes of this continuation of the famed mystery drama, and Nevins says the network is already fielding inquires about screening episodes from the new series at larger public venues:


"You're going to continue to see the blurring of movies and television. You're going to see television shows produced primarily for television that's going to play in theaters for an occasional out-of-home collective experience. I'm already feeling interest. People are coming to us, 'You want to premiere this? You want to show four episodes?' So I guarantee you when we put 'Twin Peaks' out, people are gonna want to put that in theaters. So I see those lines blurring."

How such a rollout would work isn't clear as the episode count for Lynch's revival is still not yet known, nor is the release strategy. Nevis does say that, unlike with their new comedy series "Dice" which is releasing its entire first season online on April 10th, they won't follow the Netflix model of an "all at once" release with "Twin Peaks":


"When we put 'Twin Peaks' out, maybe it'll be fun not to do just one a week, but to do it in a different way. Who knows. [That's] something I'll talk about with David Lynch. There's all sorts of possibilities, but the idea of just throwing it out, having a week or two weeks of buzz, and then having it die down, I don't think that makes sense for us."

The new episodes are slated to premiere in early 2017, but when could have an impact on how many screens could be booked for such an event.

Daily Spider-Man! Ah, one of the best milestones of any Daily Spidey tale -- the first time he mulls over his inadequacies.


Thursday, March 17, 2016

'Heathers' To Become Anthology Series on TV Land


From iwatchstuff, Following in the success of FX's Fargo anthology series, TV Land is ready to find out: hey, could we do that with Heathers too? According to THR, the cable network and longtime leader inThree's Company reruns is developing the 1988 cult black comedy as a series that, each season, would feature a new group of "Heathers." Should it go to series, the first season would reportedly have the twist that "this time the outcasts have become high school royalty." One Heather would be a black lesbian, another would be overweight, and the third would be queer, their birth name being "Heath." Way to fuck gender constructs gently with a chainsaw.

"X-Men: Apocalypse" trailer is bad ass!

Daily Spider-Man! Doc Strange's neighbors are tired of the constant THWAMMMing


Tuesday, March 15, 2016

‘Indiana Jones 5’ Set for Summer 2019; Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg Returning


From cinemablend, Harrison Ford will crack that whip again. Disney officially announced today that Indiana Jones 5 is coming in summer 2019, with Ford back as the world’s coolest archaeologist and Steven Spielberg, who helmed all four previous installments of the franchise, returning to direct.


Indiana Jones 5 has officially been set for July 19, 2019. It’s currently the only film slotted for that date. The Marvel adventure The Inhumans scheduled for the weekend before (July 12), but it seems likely Inhumans will move away from Indiana Jones 5 before we get there, especially since both are being released by Disney — there’d be no point in the studio cannibalizing its own box office.

Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall are producing Indiana Jones 5. Interestingly, the press release makes no mention of creator George Lucas — so if he’s involved at all, it’s likely in a reduced capacity. It doesn’t sound like Lucas has creative control over the new Indiana Jones, which is probably for the best if for no other reason than that it’ll allow the new team to have creative control. No other writers or stars have been announced at this time.

Speculation about a fifth Indiana Jones movie has been swirling ever since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, and Disney has continually insisted that it does plan to return to the Indiana Jones series eventually. But understandably, resurrecting Star Wars seemed to be the studio’s first priority. Now that The Force Awakens has successfully charted a new course for that series, it looks like the studio is finally ready to turn its attention to everyone’s other favorite Lucasfilm franchise.

Ford will be 77 by the time Indiana Jones 5 opens in 2019, and as charismatic and badass as he still is today, it seems a reasonable bet that Indiana Jones 5 will see him hand the franchise off to a younger star. Marshall has said they wouldn’t be taking the “James Bond” approach of simply casting a new actor as Indiana Jones, and Ford’s return confirms that — but the question remains as to how, exactly, the series could continue with a new lead. Will we go back to Indy’s younger days? Will Indy pass the torch to a younger relative or colleague? Does this mean Crystal Skull‘s Shia LaBeouf will be back as Mutt? (On that last one, probably not.)

Share your Indy-related theories and feelings in the comments, and while you mull over this news you can read the full Indiana Jones 5 press release below.

SPIELBERG AND FORD REUNITE AS INDIANA JONES RETURNS TO THEATERS JULY 19, 2019

Indiana Jones will return to the big screen on July 19, 2019, for a fifth epic adventure in the blockbuster series. Steven Spielberg, who directed all four previous films, will helm the as-yet-untitled project with star Harrison Ford reprising his iconic role. Franchise veterans Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall will produce.

“Indiana Jones is one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history, and we can’t wait to bring him back to the screen in 2019,” said Alan Horn, Chairman, The Walt Disney Studios. “It’s rare to have such a perfect combination of director, producers, actor and role, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this adventure with Harrison and Steven.”

Famed archaeologist and explorer Indiana Jones was introduced in 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark – one of AFI’s 100 Greatest American Films of All Time – and later thrilled audiences in 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, 1989’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The four films have brought in nearly $2 billion at the global box office.

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" trailer [Tim Burton]

Daily Spider-Man! Doctor Strange has forbidden mystic dangers upstairs and instead of magic barriers or, you know, a DOOR, he just casually tells people "Don't go up there."


Monday, March 14, 2016

This is my favorite thing of today.

'Saturday Night Live' election spoof is spot on and hilarious!

Box Office


From ew, After its massive $75 million opening (the biggest ever for a non-Pixar Disney animated movie), Zootopia held up even better than expected, falling only 33 percent in its second weekend and bringing its domestic total to an estimated $142.6 million — after only 10 days in theaters.

Internationally, Zootopia added another $83.1 million for a global total of $431.3 million. An estimated $56.5 million of that came from China this weekend, whereZootopia surpassed Big Hero 6 to become the highest-grossing animated Disney film of all time, as well as the third-biggest animated movie ever.

But while Zootopia maintained its claim to first place,four new wide releases also hit theaters, to mixed results.

The thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane had the best opening, posting an estimated $25.2 million in 3,391 theaters, easily earning back its mid-teens budget in just one weekend. Although producer J.J. Abrams has billed the top secret thriller as a “blood relative” to the original Cloverfield, 10 Cloverfield Lane didn’t reach as high as the first movie, which opened to $40.1 million. 10 Cloverfield Lane stars John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher Jr., and it earned a B- CinemaScore.

As for the three other new releases? They didn’t even manage to crack the top five. Even though the rom-com The Perfect Match opened in the fewest theaters (925), it fared the best among the new releases, earning $4.2 million for sixth place. Executive produced by Queen Latifah and starring Terrence J and Cassie Ventura, The Perfect Match follows a sworn bachelor who reconsiders his ways when he meets a mysterious woman.

The Young Messiah only pulled in $3.4 million in 1,761 theaters. The faith-based film, which follows the life of Jesus as a young boy, earned seventh place with an A- CinemaScore.

And even though The Brothers Grimsby opened in 2,235 theaters and earned a B+ CinemaScore, it only managed to scrape together a dismal $3.2 million for the weekend, making it Sacha Baron Cohen’s lowest opening ever and a far cry from other R-rated Cohen openings like 2012’s The Dictator ($17.4 million), 2009’sBruno ($30.6 million), and 2006’s Borat ($26.5 million). Cohen stars inGrimsby as a football hooligan who teams up with his brother on a spy mission.

Instead, holdovers Deadpool, London Has Fallen, and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot rounded out the top five. Now in its fifth weekend,Deadpool added another $10.8 million to its box office haul, bringing its domestic total to a whopping $328.1 million. The Gerard Butler-starring action flick London Has Fallen also brought in $10.7 million in its second weekend for a domestic total of $38.85 million. And fifth place went to Tina Fey’s Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, which added $4.6 million in its second weekend for a domestic total of $14.6 million.

At the specialty box office, Eye in the Sky had a solid opening in five theaters, earning $117,050 for a per-theater average of $23,410. Gavin Hood’s war drama stars Helen Mirren and the late Alan Rickman, in his last film.

Here are this weekend’s top five at the box office:

1. Zootopia — $50 million
2. 10 Cloverfield Lane — $25.2 million
3. Deadpool — $10.8 million
4. London Has Fallen — $10.7 million
5. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot — $4.6 million

Daily Spider-Man! Peter finally finds a use for that fake left hand he's been carrying around.


Monday, March 07, 2016

Daily Spider-Man! SLAM! Psyche! (I so wish)


Box Office


From ew, Zootopia roared into theaters this weekend with an estimated $73.7 million domestic opening, setting a new record for the biggest Walt Disney Animation Studios opening of all time.

The film surpassed Frozen’s record of $67.4 million to earn the biggest debut ever for a non-Pixar Disney animated film, and it also scored the fourth-highest March opening weekend in box office history. WithThe Hunger Games in first place with $152.5 million, followed by Alice in Wonderland and Oz the Great and Powerful, Disney now has three of the top four March openings.

Now in its fourth weekend of international release,Zootopia added another $63.4 million to its overseas total, bringing its worldwide cumulative gross to $158.8 million already. Globally, it grossed $8.5 million for the weekend on IMAX screens, and its $5.2 million domestic IMAX debut makes it the second-biggest animated opening in IMAX history, behind Toy Story 3’s $8.4 million.

Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman lent their voices to the PG-rated animated adventure, and Zootopiahas been universally praised by critics for its messages about prejudice and tolerance, earning a 98 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That, coupled with its A CinemaScore, suggests that Zootopiashould hold up well at the box office over the next few weeks.

Another new release took second place, with the R-rated action epic London Has Fallen debuting to $21.7 million and earning an A- CinemaScore. The originalOlympus Has Fallen, also starring Gerard Butler and Morgan Freeman, opened in March 2013 to $30.4 million, going on to gross $98.9 million domestically.

Meanwhile, Tina Fey’s Whiskey Tango Foxtrot only debuted to an estimated $7.6 million for the weekend, well under expectations of a double-digit opening. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s war zone dramedy, based on the book by Kim Barker, earned a B CinemaScore. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot’s single-digit debut is similar toAdmission, another Fey-starring drama that opened oppositeOlympus Has Fallen in March 2013, earning $6.2 million.

Zootopia’s success finally knocked Deadpool from its throne, and the Ryan Reynolds-starring superhero pic fell to third place in its fourth weekend with an estimated $16.4 million. Deadpool just crossed $300 million at the domestic box office this weekend, bringing its domestic total to $311.2 million.

And Butler actually ended up with two films in the top five, as even though his swords-and-sandals epic Gods of Egypt fell 65 percent, its $5 million second weekend was enough to hold off the competition and secure fifth place. Gods of Egypt’s domestic total is now at $22.8 million.

At the specialty box office, Terrence Malick’s Knight of Cups opened in four theaters to $56,688.

Here are this weekend’s top five at the box office.

1. Zootopia — $73.7 million
2. London Has Fallen — $21.7
3. Deadpool — $16.4 million
4. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot — $7.6 million
5. Gods of Egypt — $5 million

Tuesday, March 01, 2016

Daily Spider-Man! "Tingling!?! I do all the tingling around here, MJ! Spiiiider tingling!"


Why Pee-Wee Herman Is Different In The Movies And TV Shows


From cinemablend, The character Pee-wee Herman, portrayed by Paul Reubens, has been a fun part of pop culture for more than 35 years now, and in that time has expanded across multiple mediums. Reubens first created Herman for the stage, but he broke out thanks to an HBO special, gained popularity with his television series, and even got to be the titular character of a few of his own movies. What you may not have noticed, however, is that each version of Pee-wee Herman varies a bit, as there is a certain degree to which the medium dictates just how "Pee-wee" Pee-wee can be.

With Pee-wee’s Big Holiday set to arrive on Netflix in mid-March, I recently had the pleasure of chatting with director John Lee about the project over the phone, and it was during our conversation that the filmmaker revealed a subtlety about Paul Reubens’ performance that fans may have not noticed before. Curious about the special weirdness that must come with directing Pee-wee Herman in a scene, I asked Lee about the process of discussing character motivation and delivery, and he explained why the Pee-wee on stage, on the small screen, and on the big screen are all just a bit different:

To me there’s three different versions of Pee-wee Herman. There’s the stage Pee-wee Herman, which is way more raunchier and crowd-oriented; and then there’s the television show Pee-wee Herman, which is just like a loud obnoxious train of Pee-wee Herman; and then there’s the movie Pee-wee Herman, which is like, all of his movies, he’s way more subdued and in control. I think he knows, and we all know, if it was the television show Pee-wee Herman [in the movies], within 15 minutes you’d leave the theatre.


It’s an interesting thing to learn about Pee-wee Herman, if not just because a real part of the character’s particular charm is the fact that he’s kind of annoying. Very much a Peter Pan-like figure, he’s eternally optimistic, energetic and childlike, which can be a crazy amount of fun, but also be completely exhausting. When dealing with a theatrical environment (where everything has to be projected and "more"), or the small screen (which jams a full experience into 22 minutes), it makes sense than Pee-wee can be a bit bigger and intense – but that wouldn’t really make any sense in a 90-120 minute movie due to a burnout factor. So the film version of Pee-wee is still very much Pee-wee, but one that doesn’t cross the line into "too much."

Pee-wee’s Big Holiday will be dropping on Netflix on March 18th, and be sure to stay tuned here for more from our fantastic conversation with director John Lee!

Malevolent

 2018  ***1/2 It's 1986 for some reason, and a team of paranormal investigators are making a big name for themselves all over Scotland. ...